My blog has continued, but is in a new home. I needed one place to put everything! Thankfully, now I have it.

Journalism in a Social Media World

Thank you for reading and for following!

Misty

What do you want from a journalist using Twitter?

UPDATE Friday, May 29th:

It's official I will be speaking at a social media seminar during the NPPA Convergence in Las Vegas in a couple of weeks. Then I will moderate a panel discussion on social media. So I need help/advice. Those who attend are journalists wanting to know how to use social media. Some may already utilize social media, but others may not.

I'm asking you: what do you want from your local journalist or news organization using social media?

This is a whole new field for many of us journalists. Please share your thoughts and ideas. I'll do my best to advise fellow journalists on utilizing social media.

Thank you,
Misty

I have had many conversations on mainstream media use of social media platforms. I stick firm to my belief that mainstream media and journalists should use move with social media as it evolves. I believe this will create a better relationship between journalist and consumer. That is what I strive to do with my Twitter account @MistyMontano. I share my own personality and the news from my position as an assignment editor. I strive to create connections/relationships within the community CBS4 News reaches.

What if I didn't just focus on reaching the CBS4 News community? What if I broadened my focus and started following thousands? (Hey 1,000/day is the limit!) Would I offer any value to those following me outside of the news community I'm serving? Admittedly I'm very localized to the metro area when I'm Tweeting scanner chatter and local news events. Would I need to broaden my Tweets, search out news in other communities to share?

As much as social media can reach the thousands, even millions, it can also create small micro-communties that specifically seek information on one topic or from one specific location. Do I only follow and find the viewers of CBS4 News? Do I search for those interested in any and all news organizations or those interested in police/emergency scanners?

Do I search at all or just let those who want information from me, find me? After all, how can I create relationships if I only seek certain individuals?

I've been given great advice on what I should or should not do as a journalist with social media, specifically Twitter. I'd love to know what you want from any local journalist using social media. Where do you think the news is moving? How do you want mainstream media to use social media?

Playing the game to get stories covered

Today I pitched three stories. Two of the stories came through people contacting me on Twitter and the third was from a caller who actually called a couple weeks ago. I was contacted by the first Twitter story last week and the second was brought to my attention just last night.

I knew when I received a phone call from a gentleman who, along with community members and a public school system had established a community garden, that this was worthy of a story. I wrote it up immediately and filed it in several future day files in hopes it would be read and picked as a story. It wasn't picked, but I honestly knew it wouldn't be picked without a voice, me, actually bugging the producers.

The story that came from Twitter last week was followed quickly by emails from other viewers upset about the same issue. I compiled all of this information and even pitched the story while I was home from work. I sent the station direct messages on Twitter during the afternoon editorial meeting. It wasn't picked. I'm the only one truly used to being pitched stories via Twitter. I wasn't surprised it wasn't picked and knew I needed to actually speak to the producers.

The story that came from Twitter last night I kept to myself until today and pitched it in the afternoon editorial meeting along with the two others. I knew only one of the three would actually be a fit for today, but I knew the other two would be great stories for the weekend. Today though all the producers I needed to talk to were in the meeting. Plus, I make the pitch and get the managers excited about the stories and voila I'm given the green light to set the stories up.

It's honestly a game where I need to know whose playing and what positions are open and need to be filled. I find a story that I know will eventually fit into one of these openings for one of these players, I hold onto it and pitch it when the playbook calls for a curve ball. (Yeah, that's the best analogy I can do at the moment! lol!)

This is how I function in the newsroom to get stories covered that may be overlooked if they don't have a voice. I can't imagine what it's like to be the PR professional who isn't aware of the playbook. We are being asked to do more in the newsroom with fewer resources. You may have the producer or the reporter that you can talk to, but often they don't know the whole game plan either.

All of these stories got my individual attention because I happened to be the one to answer the phone and I'm the one who is now being pitched stories via Twitter. I liked what I heard and knew the stories fit into the stations brand of news. I know how to play the game to get stories covered. I think it's a win-win situation for everyone involved.

After thoughts on PR & Media in a New Media World

This week I was a panel speaker at a seminar on PR & Media in a New Media World hosted by Mile High Social Media Club. The panel guests also included Elaine Ellis of Metzger Associates and Jason Kintzler founder and CEO of PitchEngine. The seminar was attended by mostly PR professionals and bloggers who submitted questions for the panel to answer.

I was honestly surprised to hear the public relation field is working to figure out the purpose and uses for social media just as media outlets are doing. What didn't surprise me is how differently everyone thinks of social media. Which in itself is what social media is because social media is whatever you want it to be. The one clear belief I have is that social media is to be used with a plan, strategy and goal. Even if you use social media to connect with friends or family or to make friends, that should be your only purpose on that social media platform. For example I have a Facebook page that I have to keep in touch with friends and family. I am very selective on who I accept as as a friend. Twitter I use to relate my job in the newsroom and to share news with those who interact with me. These are truly separate uses of the platforms, i.e. my strategies.

One question we were asked was, is it traditional media and social media, or just media? My answer: media. For me media is the tool that is used as the news conduit. Whether that is through a social media platform or a written article or live newscast it is all media. I also don't think that if traditional media outlets view social media platforms as completely separate and different from themselves, social media platforms may never be truly embraced and used.

This is why I liked this morning while viewing all of the Twitter chatter on the seminar, #MHSMC, I saw that @Tajmo proposed that we just use a new term: Social Relations. For me, this encompasses what social media is and does in all ways that is is used. I use it to further my relations with my friends and family. I use it to create relations with community members who could watch CBS4 News or log onto CBS4Denver.com. Whatever your business is, if you are able to create a relationship with someone who never or rarely uses your product, that person may soon try you out.

Another question we were asked is what is the value of the traditional press release? I was the only one of the panelists who said, yes there is still value in the traditional press release. Why? I am an anomaly in the news business. Very few others work the way I do in social media. I may prefer to be pitched stories via social media platforms, but my coworkers who are still figuring out social media, still expect the traditional press release. The newsroom still receives faxed press releases. It's true!

When I joined CBS4 News in 2000 we received hundreds a faxes every day that were filed in daily/monthly folders for planning purposes. Now those files sit primarily empty, as we now receive hundreds a emails that are filed in our computer system. In a world where we still have folders and faxes, the traditional press release still has value. Yes, this will change to social media pitches as it did from faxes to emails, but it has not changed yet.

I learned a lot during the seminar and hope those who attended took away some insights and talking points as well.

Social media opens the door

Below is the article I wrote for an upcoming NATAS newsletter. The purpose of the article is to introduce social media to the NATAS member that may be thinking of using social media. Tell me your thoughts.

Social media may not be a necessity. Social media, at this time, may not drastically change viewership numbers. Social media, however, will give you or your organization another voice in a world where turning on the television is not always the first action people take to find news. Social media is a tool that can be used to connect your brand with the community. Social media can be a resource to find information.


When you make the decision to utilize social media, which ranges on many platforms such as blogs, vlogs, Twitter, Facebook and Myspace, have a goal or a strategy. Social media is whatever you make it to be. CBS4 News, KCNC-TV in Denver, CO utilizes social media to achieve advocacy, transparency and interactivity. The goal is to connect our brand of empowering, insightful, relevant news with our community.


Many people in the newsroom, and even in other departments at the station, are able to contribute to the CBS4 News Facebook Fan Page and the Twitter account @cbs4denver. The experiences and knowledge of the many lend credibility to the social media platforms that are used. One example of this is when Medical Editor Dr. Dave Hnida logs into Twitter, announces he’s there to answer your medical questions and then converses with those on Twitter who submit questions.


Social media can also open new avenues for the way stories are told. CBS4 News was the first news station to partner with a local hospital, Presbyterian Saint Luke’s Medical Center, to Tweet live during a pediatric operation. Dr. Hnida was able to share on Twitter what was happening live in the operating room. Digital photographs taken during the operation were also posted on Twitter. Those who followed the surgery were literally in the operation room with Dr. Hnida and were able to have immediate answers to questions or concerns they submitted via Twitter. This was not just a social media story only available via Twitter. CBS4 News covered the Twitter surgery as a news story that was incorporated into several of the newscasts.


CBS4 News uses Twitter to share what’s happening in the newsroom and in the editorial meetings. Comments and suggestions are welcome and encouraged. Many stories have been found this way. Many interviews the reporters need to accomplish their stories have been found through using social media. This also opens the station to a new way for public relation professionals and individuals to pitch stories. At the same time another avenue to receive criticism is opened. By communicating in the social media platforms and addressing any critiques openly CBS4 News is creating trust within the community. Doors that seemed to be closed to community members are now wide open for them to be involved and vested in the station. When community members participate in discussions they feel like they are a part of the news process and when in the past they may have never turned on CBS4 News, now they do. Some now watch to see if the station has followed through on decisions made during discussions, and even more so to see if their own ideas, comments, submissions were aired in a newscast.


There were a series of April snow storms where community members submitted photographs, videos and information about weather conditions on several social media platforms Twitter, Facebook and YouReport on www.cbs4denver.com. The station acknowledged the help from the community and aired several of the shared items. Credit was given by naming and thanking those whose items were aired live during the news. Another example of involving the social media community during news coverage is when CBS4 News asks for people to chat with the anchors during live instant message sessions and asks what questions they want answered on specific stories. For example questions that were submitted were asked at press conferences regarding swine flu and asked during post game coverage of the Nuggest's during the playoffs.


As social media evolves, so will CBS4 News' use of social media. The advice I can share for any media organization using or wanting to use social media is to first and foremost have a plan, a goal, a strategy. If you need a strategy to accomplish the goals you have for using social media, then develop that plan and communicate clearly to those in your organization that will be utilizing social media. You need to understand each social media platform is different and people use them differently. For example, Twitter has a fast pace and many conversations happen at once; whereas Facebook is slower paced and not necessarily a conversation. CBS4 News may post dozens of Tweeets in one day but only posts two or three updates on Facebook. Finally, when people follow or friend your organization on social media platforms those people have now invited you into their homes. Imagine yourself as the dinner guest at a party and behave as such. People who use social media expect an open door. You will not receive a friendly response if you just push your message at the dinner party and walk out slamming the door as you leave.

Lost Twitter follower due to misunderstanding

As with any form of communication there are multiple opportunities for misunderstanding. I believe a misunderstanding lead to someone following me on Twitter to un-follow me. Instead of asking me about what I meant, the follower decided to call me out on Twitter and to un-follow me. I admit it's hard not to take this personally.

Last night I left work while there was an active shooting in Greeley. There was nothing more that I could do. A freelance photographer was on the scene. The Under Sheriff had been paged to call with information on the situation. I couldn't even hear what was happening because none of the scanners were picking up the Weld County Sheriff's Department.

I posted this Tweet:

"Okay.. really don't like not being able to hear an incident where 4 people have been shot...none of the 11 scanners on the desk R getting it."

I logged into Twitter this afternoon to find this @ reply from someone who had been following me:

"Perhaps experts busy saving lives? "Unfollow U." RT @MistyMontano: don't like not hear(ing)..4..shot...none of...11 scanners..R getting it"

I checked, the person had stopped following me after he sent that Tweet.

I deal with opinions and comments all day at the station via phone and email. Read my post from today "Thank you, I'll pass your comment along" to get a glimpse of the type of calls I answer. At least over the phone I have the opportunity to explain decisions, statements or what-not.

In this case I sent two @ replies, 15-hours after I'd received his Tweet comment. (Yes, I said 15-HOURS! Once I logged off last night, I didn't log in until I came back into work today. I spent the morning outside!)

I sent:
"What? RT @(soandso): Perhaps experts busy saving lives? "Unfollow U." RT @MistyMontano: don't like not hear(ing)..4..shot...none of... ..."
"@(soandso) I definitely didn't mean any emergency responders should be speaking to me... I meant I wished scanners received more channels"

He never replied. I was never able to explain what I'd meant. He passed judgment and quit communicating.

If he'd responded I would have told him what had happened last night. If after that he still chose to un-follow, then fine. Then at least he'd have made an educated decision.

So I'm going to explain myself now.

If you review my Twitter stream regarding the Greeley shooting you'll see I was frustrated that I couldn't get any information. Information doesn't just come from dispatchers and emergency crews on scenes. Often the emergency crews are too busy to respond to me. I understand that.

While we won't go on the air with unconfirmed scanner chatter, listening to the scanner helps me gather information. This is information I use to help the news crews in the field by keeping them up to date on police activity. I want to keep my crews safe as much as I want to get the story. Most importantly, and every journalist should agree with me, news crews need to stay out of the way of emergency responder activity. Many times I hear on the scanner where the media staging area is long before I get it through official sources. I'm able to move my crew to that area, which is safe and out of the way, faster than if I were to wait for a call back.

When I sent my Tweet I was sharing my frustration that I COULDN'T HELP AT ALL. I feel so helpless in these times. A photographer was on the scene and I was useless.

In any way did my original Tweet imply I was trying to interrupt police activity? I truly don't understand how such a harsh judgment was passed. As I said, all forms of communication, even Twitter, can lead to misunderstanding. Perhaps Twitter is more susceptible to such misunderstanding because it's so fast and short with only 140 characters. As a journalist this is something to always keep in mind. It is important to be as clear and possible in hopes to never mislead. If that happens too much, then trust is lost.

I kept a SECRET from Twitter

As I opened this new post I started to monitor a fire west of the station, over 20-minutes away, in Jefferson County. I entered the title and stopped writing to focus on the fire. I checked all sources that could possibly also be monitoring the fire and found none. Not knowing if I'm the only assignment editor in the city listening to the fire, I had to decide what, if anything, to post on Twitter. I chose to post nothing at first.

This was the right decision. For less than ten minutes I listened to the difficulties the fire crews were having: downed power lines, burned out stairway, etc. Then I heard, "one suspect in custody, request police assistance." At that I immediately shouted out to the producers that this is a fire we need to cover. In minutes I had a photographer out the door and editors on stand-by to help out with other stories being put together for the 10pm news. My goal was to have coverage of this fire and to have two reporter live shots in the 10pm.

Still there was nothing I could find on this fire. It was possible that I was the only desk moving to cover this fire. I couldn't put anything out on Twitter that gave this information to competing media.

Finally I posted this Tweet: "just when I thought we'd reached breaking news quota: West Metro Fire PIO confirms active structure fire.Crews having hard time accessing it"

I chose to Tweet because I had confirmed information, but I didn't give too much information away. I had the location of the fire. I confirmed a suspect was in custody. Also, the photographer was well on his way to the scene. If there was anything exclusive to get on the fire, we were in good shape.

At 8:28pm the media pager, and @scancolorado on Twitter, sent alerts on the fire. I also sent a Tweet with more information, but no more information than what these sources had. I'm almost sure every station in the city uses the media pager. I knew I no longer had this on my own, but I still had more details than the alerts sent out. At 8:46pm another media page came out giving the correct address of the fire. I followed with another Tweet adding that information for anyone following me. I still kept other details to myself.

Then I saw it. A 9pm newscast on another network had a live report on the fire. At that point I put out all I had confirmed and heard on the scanner on Twitter.

I think about news integrity and exclusivity all the time when I post.

There was no thought to the real SECRET I kept from Twitter today, though. Around 4pm I answered a phone call from the Denver Police Public Information Officer, "Misty, who's in charge of the newsroom today? Is Wieland (news director) there?" I knew then something was up. As the news director hung up the phone, I was called into his office. I found out one of the news crews had literally walked into the middle of a SWAT situation.

The reporter had apparently just called and spoken to the executive producer and said that a plain-clothes detective stopped them and told them they were in the line of fire and needed to move to safety. The crew was following a homicide investigation from four days ago. They were headed to the crime scene, a 7-11 when they were stopped. Police wouldn't confirm it, but said SWAT was near on a possible connection to the homicide.

We didn't need any more than that to know what could possibly unfold. First priority was to move the crew to safety. Second priority was to get a live truck to the scene. What was not a priority was Twitter. In the rush of movement and preparation for possible breaking news I even said jokingly, "this is NOT something we Twitter!"

Joking or not, it was the absolute truth. We were the only media with the information. SWAT moved us to a specific location so not to bust their cover. Beyond protecting exclusive news, we had to think of the safety of the SWAT team who was moving in on an unsuspecting, possibly armed, suspect.

Even after the arrest happened and the crew shot video of the suspect in custody, I waited to Tweet until I knew we'd get the reporter on live during the 6:30pm newscast. I was still protecting exclusivity. Then, I found out a photographer from another station, on his way home from work, noticed the road block so he also shot video of the suspect! ARGH! Still, I wouldn't have changed anything knowing this.

One other conscious decision I made was to continue to Tweet other news, other conversations, just so I wasn't SILENT on Twitter to where it would be noticed. I have been asked before by followers where I am when I don't Twitter, or if I'm doing okay because I haven't sent many Tweets. So I know even my silence says something, and I have to be aware of that as well!

I can't tell you what a relief it was to Tweet about the situation when I could. I'd been on the news desk ready to move crews if needed and concerned for safety of everyone involved. I wanted to share, but I had to keep a SECRET from Twitter!

Tweet critique

Tonight I received my first Tweet critique from a follower. He stated, "Too many RT's that aren't relevant to News, I'd like to keep following you but there are too many twits for me." I promptly sent a reply thanking him for letting me know this.

Luckily, he hadn't unfollowed me yet so I sent him a direct message saying, "seriously, thank you for being honest with me. I'm still learning my place as a journalist on twitter. I understand if you no longer follow." This is complete honesty. I find myself struggling at times of defining who I am on Twitter, always aware of my journalistic integrities, and trying to combine them with my goals I hope to achieve by using social media.

I received a reply to my direct message that explained his position on my tweets. I asked questions in return to get specifics on his concerns. I thanked him for chatting with me and told him I would keep his comments in mind as I continue to use Twitter.

I've set my identity on Twitter to be: a person with a job and a life following me on Twitter, but I happen to be a journalist who works at a TV station in Denver. I share tweets about myself and I tweet about news, working in news, working in news at CBS4 News. I'm curious, am I seen first as a journalist or as just another person by those following me?

This is where I find myself struggling at times. I have made friends with people on Twitter. We have conversations, some related to news, some not. When possible I try to bring news back into the conversations. I have people following me just for my news tweets.

The critique tonight said he didn't mind my non-news tweets, but that the way I answer tweets and the re-tweets of @cbs4denver and @skyjosh get hard to follow. I can understand being overwhelmed by tweets when I re-tweet either @cbs4denver or @skyjosh because then he's receiving the same tweets twice. However there are many Colorado viewers who follow me but don't follow both or either @cbs4denver or @skyjosh. When I re-tweet those posts, my goal is to get the most information out to the most people.

As for how I answer or comment to tweets, it's my opinion since I'm a journalist trying to be open, when possible, I re-tweet the posts and post my comments or answers so all can see what I'm responding to. More often than not I put my answer in the re-tweet so I don't have to send out multiple tweets.

Tonight I responded to a tweet asking if boys will ever grow out of burping and farting jokes. This is something I ask almost daily as a step-mother of two boys. (I'm starting to accept I will never understand boy humor!) This tweet received several responses. I re-tweeted these responses to show the complete conversation. It was also me relating to people as a regular person, not just a news person.

It was right after this I received the tweet critique. I really do understand. Did I cross a line? Did I go to far? These are good questions. I'm glad I was able to chat with the person who sent the critique. I thank him for being open with me.

This kind of critique is something other Tweople don't have to pay attention to if they don't want. But, as I am a journalist trying to be open in how I use social media, I open myself to these kinds of critiques and discussions.

Vanity? Branding? Or?

I'm learning. I hope to always be learning. Currently I'm learning how to incorporate social media into my job as an assignment editor. I truly believe mainstream media will evolve to incorporate and utilize social media. So I jumped right into the action.

If you've been following me on Twitter, @MistyMontano, you know how I've been using Twitter as a journalist. I function between my account and the station's, @cbs4denver, to engage in conversations about stories, to share what it's like to work on the news desk, to provide openess by tweeting during the editorial meetings. The station started tweeting the editorial meetings weeks ago and daily more tweople are joining in the conversation. Soon I will help coach social media sessions for station employees who want to learn and/or get involved. I'm sure the station will continue to evolve.

In my efforts to learn I've talked on the phone with or met with tweople in real life to discuss what I'm doing and to see how they're using social media, mainly Twitter. Rob McNealy, @RobMcNealy, told me he doesn't trust people who don't use their names or those who use nicknames. He advised me I should change my Twitter handle, which was @MsMistyJ at the time. He then told me if I blog, I should have my own domain name. We discussed quite a bit that left me thinking for days. (Thanks Rob!)

I thought about what he said about not trusting those who don't use their full names. Within hours of our meeting I changed my Twitter handle to @MistyMontano. My journalistic goal in using social media is to bring transparency, openess to the media. What Rob said made perfect sense. If I'm going to ask those whom I interact with on any social media platform to trust me, I should use my full name. Shakespeare had this figured out long ago when Juliet said,

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."

Then I meandered through what Rob said about having my own domain where I could share my blog(s). My thoughts often run in tangents, so from thinking of our conversation I moved to bios of reporters and anchors on the station's website. I"m not a public figure like my coworkers, but I now have a voice I didn't have before. It then made sense for me to have my own domain where I could post a bio and host blogs, or anything else I want.

I created www.MistyMontano.com a few days later. Soon after I was contacted by the Mile High Social Media Club and asked if I would be a panelist in an upcoming seminar on social media in PR and the Media. I was asked for a bio. What do you know? I had my own domain sitting empty, so I posted a bio for the organization to use.

Then I looked at my blog, On the News Desk, and decided to move it to my domain. Boy was that disasterous and I'm sure I've lost most, if not all, my followers! Eventually I gave up the fight in trying to make my own blog roll in my website and just linked On the News Desk to my website. In verifying the website and setting up tracking, I also decided to change the domain name of On the News Desk to incorporate my name as well. Now I'm sure if I had any followers left, they've all left running in frustraion!

Next I looked at my blog and saw two distinct topics, adventure stories from the news desk and posts on social media/twitter. I decided to create a second blog, Where mainstream media and social media combine, where I will post my thoughts on social media in mainstream media.

My website is simple. (Mainly because I'm not a website designer! HA!) I'm viewing it as my own watering hole; a place where people who want to know more about me can find it. Why? In trying to achieve openess as a journalist, if I'm going to have this new found voice, people should be able to easily find out who is sharing news adventures with them.

In the end, I guess I'm branding myself, but as what? I can't name it. How about evolving journalist?

And, I admit there's a little vanity and excitement in this for me too.

How Twitter & I work together

Twitter allows interaction with the viewers I'm trying to reach. Twitter allows Tweeps to share in my day, share my journey of news each night. Twitter makes the news more than just headlines. Twitter allows transparency in news coverage. Twitter allows Tweeps to have ownership in the news.

All of that is possible in Twitter because Twitter is what you want it to be. You can make Twitter work for you in any way that you want. I use Twitter for all the above reasons.

I have two simple Twitter Rules:
Interact
Be courteous

I've shown myself to be an average person, just like you, doing my job that happens to be in news. Tweeps follow me and now trust me. This became apparent Friday night when I received a this Tweet FROM @RR5280:

TO @msmistyj My daughter jst got home says she just witnessed a hi speed police chase invlving 6-7 police cars chasing a Passat(?) In WR/Arvada"

I hadn't heard it yet on the scanners. At that point I was in breaking news mode: listen, confirm, analyze, cover. Below is my Twitter conversation through the night. See for yourselves how viewers responded and helped me cover this breaking news. (Unless the message starts with FROM, the Tweets are mine directed to other Tweeps and all that follow me. When the message starts with FROM, that is a Tweet sent to me.)


1. @RR5280 how long ago? I'm hearing something now that's requiring Air One to assist in a search.. but have no details yet9:49 PM Mar 27th in reply to RR5280

2. FROM: @RR5280 TO @msmistyj About 5-10 minutes ago she was at 52nd and Wadsworth. Chase was going south on Wads so already you've prbbly got 2-3 jurisdict ...

3. sounds like we've got a perimeter around 47th/Lamar.. incident started in Arvada, ended in Wheat Ridge w/suspect on loose9:53 PM Mar 27th

4. @RR5280 I'm not sure yet what suspect is wanted for.. hearing 1 BOLO for a domestic abuse suspect, but have nothing confirmed yet9:54 PM Mar 27th in reply to RR5280

5. FROM: @angel_elle3300 TO @msmistyj several police cars blocking the north bound lanes of wads at i70

6. @angel_elle3300 thanks! I think there's a suspect search, but don't have details yet.9:55 PM Mar 27th in reply to angel_elle3300

7. @angel_elle3300 @RR5280 all Arvada dispatch will tell me is there was an ax NB Wads @ I70. Sounds like there's a run vehicle involved.9:57 PM Mar 27th in reply to angel_elle3300

8. FROM: @joshclauss TO @msmistyj Following you makes me feel safer and scares the bejesus out of me all at the same time.

9. @joshclauss tell me about it! I hear scanners in my sleep... good dreams and bad9:58 PM Mar 27th in reply to joshclauss

10. Arvada PIO is checking on situation for me. From what I can tell, 1 or even 2, accident scenes, now a search requesting Air 1 & K9 units10:01 PM Mar 27th

11. Arvada PIO CONFIRMS suspect fled from @ least 1ax scene. Poss. suspect was involved in 2 ax. Air1 & K9 searching. @RR5280 @angel_elle330010:06 PM Mar 27th in reply to RR5280

12. Scanner has perimeter set up in Wheat Ridge jurisdiction. Can now hear crews on the CLEER ch. an inter-agency ch. for them to communicate.10:09 PM Mar 27th

13. NOT confirmed: one of these accidents may have resulted in a fatality. Photographer is headed to scene10:13 PM Mar 27th

14. @angel_elle3300 thanks. PD think suspect is on foot following clear creek. He's injured, trailing blood. @RR528010:17 PM Mar 27th in reply to angel_elle3300

15. FROM: @angel_elle3300 TO @msmistyj wads closed both directions police lined south side of i70 but harlan exit open eastbound

16. @angel_elle3300 thanks for road info.. that really helps the photographer who is trying to get to the scene10:20 PM Mar 27th in reply to angel_elle3300

17. can hear the a K9 unit barking while searching for suspect who may have lost his shoe in clear creek.10:24 PM Mar 27th

18. I'll be checking w/photographer thru the night, but I must leave the news desk for now. Thanks for following 2day!10:36 PM Mar 27th

19. Photographer finally headed back 2 the station. PIO went 2 scene 2do interview. CONFIRM suspect driving stolen vehicle crashes & flees.12:31 AM Mar 28th

20. Arvada: CONFIRM driver of 2nd vehicle was taken to hospital in critical condition. Suspect still on the loose. Search ongoing.12:31 AM Mar 28th

21. Arvada: that's all we'll get 2nite. Will have 2 follow 2morrow.12:32 AM Mar 28th

22. Arvada: photographer checking out reported location suspect could be. @ScanColorado reports suspect is in custody @ 4720 Otis12:35 AM Mar 28th

23. FROM: @aarondelay TO @msmistyj and @scancolorado you guys are rocking it out...loving the news and scanner reports!

24. @aarondelay thanks!12:47 AM Mar 28th

25. Photographer reports: "Got the shot." Suspect in Arvada in custody. Good night all. My news night is over. @cbs4denver is always on12:48 AM Mar 28th

Twitter tips & apps for journalists & everyone else

An effort to understand and utilize Twitter in the newsroom and in life has lead me and my husband, @Edit_Foundry, to search the web and read, read, read. We've found many articles and followed many Tweets on using Twitter. I've decided to start listing what we've found that has been helpful to me as a journalist. My goal is to keep everything in one place so I can easily access it all.

Please use my list, add suggestions and check it out occasionally as I will update it as I find new information to share. The newest links I post will be @ the top of the list.

Twitterfall

This is another web-based Twitter viewer. Twitterfall is supposed to be live, real-time Tweets. I've used it at home just fine, but at work, it doesn't work well at all. It's worth a try if you don't want to continually refresh Twitter and don't want, or are unable, to download any applications.

LocalTweeps

Go to this website to register your zip code. LocalTweeps then groups all of the zip codes registered. This is another tool I can use to seek out Tweeps in the viewing area I am targeting.

TweetWheel

This allows you to see which of your Tweet friends are friends with each other. This really shows you the connections in your Twitter community.

Twitter Apps

Twitter's very own site with popular Applications for you to download.


WeFollow

A user powered Twitter Directory. You add yourself to the directory and categorize yourself with hashtags. Someone searching through the directory will find you by searching hashtags.

Twitscoop

Twitscoop was built to help you stay on top of twitter's hot topics or discussions.
Through an automated algorithm, twitscoop crawls hundreds of tweets every minute and extracts the words which are mentioned more often than usual. The result is displayed in a Tag Cloud, using the following rule: the hotter, the bigger (no joke here).

TweetGrid

This is something I'd like to try and have only ever found Tweets that like using this app. "TweetGrid is a powerful Twitter Search Dashboard that allows you to search for up to 9 different topics, events, conversations, hashtags, phrases, people, groups, etc in real-time. As new tweets are created, they are automatically updated in the grid. No need to refresh the page!"

Twhirl

I use this application at work and at home. So much happens on the desk that I don't have time to continually refresh Twitter. Twhirl is a social software desktop client, based on the Adobe AIR platform. I like that I can keep several Twitter accounts open and running at the same time. I like that DM and replies are different colors so I notice them when they are received. This way I can respond quickly to these messages.

Tweetdeck

I haven't used this application, but it's on my to-do list. From everything I've read, it's a very useful application.

"Tweetdeck is a realtime application that allows users to monitor that information in a single concise view. Tweetdeck currently integrates services from Twitter, Twitscoop, 12seconds, Stocktwits and now Facebook.

But at the heart of Tweedeck, is it's ability to group people together and search across the twittersphere. Grouping friends or work colleagues separately means you have a window on all aspects of your twitter life. Searching across the twittersphere means you can monitor any subject within Twitter. These additional columns automatically update so providing the user with a very effective dashboard of realtime information."

Twitoria

How active are the Tweeps you are following? Twitoria will show you. I have specifically targeted metro Denver and other Colorado Tweeps. I know I've followed a few Public Information Officers, but I haven't seen any updates from them. Twitoria will show me if these PIOs are utilizing Twitter or not, or if I've been missing their Tweets.

Twitual

Twitual is my newest favorite! (Thanks for finding it my dear husband!) It lists Followers - everyone I'm following
Friends - everyone following me
Mutual - following each other
Fans - Tweeps following me, that I'm not following
Idols - Tweeps I follow but don't follow me

Again, since I focus on specific Tweeps by location, and I search out organizations that I converse with or follow daily as news sources, I want to know if these Tweeps are following me back. If I see a PIO is not following me back, I'm going to contact that PIO and request to be followed. Am I being aggressive? Maybe. But, trust me, if you converse with me on Twitter, maybe later I won't be paging you after hours and on the weekends. Or if you Tweet breaking news, I can let you do your job of gathering the info instead of paging you which takes time from you when you call to let me know you have nothing for me but are working on it. Sure I can just watch your Twitter feed and send replies, but sometimes there's breaking news I'm on first that I don't want my competitors to know about. I want to DM you. I can't DM you if you don't follow me back.

Oh, and I know only 2 of the 4 other TV stations in Denver are following me back. I may share a little more breaking news on Twitter now that I know this. Hmmm...

Twellow

Yellow pages for Twitter. No need to say more!

TwitterLocal

I have not yet used TwitterLocal, but it sounds exactly like what I need in my never ending search to connect with people of Metro Denver and Colorado. " TwitterLocal is going to be purely an Adobe AIR based application that allows you to filter Tweets by location."

Twitter Advanced Search

Until I try TwitterLocal, I will continue to use the Advanced search options Twitter give you. Check it out.

Twitter100

I'm just starting to play with this, but I like it so far because I can see 100 followers at one time.

Tweetree

I'm just starting to play with this one as well. "Tweetree puts your Twitter stream in a tree so you can see the posts people are replying to in context. It also pulls in lots of external content like twitpic photos, youtube videos and more, so that you can see them right in your stream without having to click through every link your friends post."


Twittfilter

"Twittfilter is a web based application to help manage your incoming tweets and twitter followers/friends. With Twittfilter you can: Address Book, New Follower Notification, Sorted and Searchable Tweets." I need to play around with this one.

TwTip

Need tips on any subject? Check out TwTip. "TwTip is designed to find and show awesome tips that are shared by Twitter fellows."

Twitter has made me a better assignment editor

I have seen several blogs and news stories about Twitter and how Twitter is changing journalism. Previously I've discussed the future of journalism in the face of new media a.k.a. social media a.k.a. advanced media. I've decided to throw out my two cents on how social media has recently affected me as a journalist. I hope to give fellow journalists some ideas on what they can do as well.

CBS4 News launched Twitter a few months ago and then created a CBS4 News Facebook Fan Page last month. It's been a learning process that's partly dive right in and see what happens and partly go with caution and test the water first. There isn't a day that goes by where I'm not part of a Twitter and/or Facebook conversation in the newsroom.

I've become somewhat of the Twitter expert in the newsroom simply because I dove right in and let it take me on an uncharted course. An @cbs4denver Twitter team was formed in February and I wasn't asked to be a part of the team. Soon after I got tired of not understanding what Twitter is and how it was going to be used. That day I created my own Twitter account @msmistyj.

I had no idea what I was doing. All I understood was that Twitter is a continual status update in 140 characters or less. I also knew that I could follow people and could be followed.

My first mission was to start following people. I started by using the find people function in Twitter. I searched for words like news, wine, garden, green, subjects that interest me. I quickly learned that this function only works if these words are a part of the Twitter users name, but that's all I had so I started to click follow.

I don't remember my first Tweet, but I do remember sitting and observing for a while. One of the Tweeps I followed is an assignment editor in Columbus, Ohio. He does what I do, so I really paid attention to his tweets. I started to see conversations he was having with community members and even with other assignment editors at a competing station! These competing assignment desks were tweeting about breaking news, beat calls, coverage plans. They were picking on each other, congratulating each other and empathizing with each other. I was SHOCKED.

From the searching I've done, I say 10TV and NBC4i in Columbus, Ohio are truly using Twitter to its fullest potential. Most every single member of the newsroom has a Twitter account. It's truly amazing.

It was then a light went off.

People don't just want headlines, teases and promos thrown at them. They want interaction. They want to know what's going on and to have the chance to weigh in on the situation.

Without talking to anyone at the station, I started tweeting what I was hearing on the scanners. I tweeted about phone calls. I tweeted about the craziness of covering news.

Just seeing my Twitter name doesn't tell you that I'm in news. I knew I needed to directly target metro Denver Tweeps. I jumped on the area print and TV twitter pages and started to follow the Tweeps that were following these news sources. I followed only the Tweeps from the metro area and other parts of Colorado.

I continued to Tweet. I paid attention to what everyone was saying and if I felt I could contribute to what was being said, I joined in on the conversation. I shared personal thoughts and information. I shared CBS4 News web links when I thought a story on the website could help provide information.

I am very aware of what I tweet so I don't give away exclusive coverage or share anything with the other stations in Denver that I don't want them to know. Yes, they are following me. Do they really know who I am and I am their competitor? If they're paying attention to my tweets or have even read my Twitter bio, they do. Denver is not like Columbus, Ohio where the desks talk and share openly like that.

Within three days of Tweeting I was actively involved in multiple conversations. I was contacted by a media outlet in Boulder requesting someone to interview regarding the station's DTV switch plan. I was surprised and thrilled with this. People were associating me as a news source. (At this point I emailed the news director and came clean on my Twittering because I had to ask him about the interview request! I wasn't surprised when he told me he'd been following what I was doing and he cautioned me to be aware of what I shared on Twitter.)

Next I noticed a Tweet from @moneyinmarriage on an essay contest she was hosting with the prize being free financial planning/counseling for engaged couples. I checked out her bio and clicked on her website. The moment it opened I knew she was a source for a Beating the Recession story, which is a series the station is currently running.

She was interviewed and the story ran just over a week after I started using Twitter. Since then I've made contacts with several potential story contacts and have had two more stories packaged and aired. I'm sending out tweets almost daily looking for specific individuals to interview for stories the reporters are turning.

I then used Twitter advanced search so I could find all Tweeps in Denver and surrounding areas. I followed everyone I could. People were following me back and suggesting me for others to follow. People were retweeting my tweets to share breaking news, strange news and even my general comments.

People know that I am a real person doing my job just like they do their own jobs. I've gained their trust. Now they contact me with story ideas or possible breaking news situations in their neighborhoods. They share their opinions with me and we have conversations about news coverage.

What I am doing on Twitter is being noticed by several people. I've been thanked for providing another news service. Just today I was sought out by a Twitter API partner, Wikimetro, to join this social media site. (What's way odd is that I directly emailed at work. My work email is not associated at all with my Twitter account. So I was really sought out for someone to research to find my work email.)

It is truly and simply amazing.

This week @cbs4denver started tweeting during the editorial meetings to share the news process and to encourage feedback and story ideas. The responses and interactions have been encouraging and are growing. During these meetings @cbs4denver is no longer just a headline service.

People are noticing what we are doing. They appreciate participating. I feel there is now more transparency in what I and the rest of us do in this newsroom. This is a great feeling. As a journalist I feel better about what I do than I ever have in the past.

In the past two weeks I have had daily conversations with coworkers on how to use Twitter. Coworkers are starting to set up their own personal Twitter accounts as well as contribute to @cbs4news.

Today I believe it was said that I have dual Twitter identities. This is absolutely correct. When I contribute to @cbs4denver I share headlines and seek out input on stories in a professional manner. As @msmistyj I am more open and use Twitter lingo and converse freely. I still don't give away any of the station's news integrity and whenever possible I lead Tweeps to @cbs4denver, www.cbs4denver.com and/or the CBS4 News Facebook Fan Page.

I close out my Twitter convo almost every night with: Scanners are calm. My news night has ended but @cbs4denver is always on! Become a fan of CBS4 News on Facebook http://moourl.com/a10y2

Tweeps have told me they are now converting too or have converted to Channel 4 viewers because of what I share on Twitter. I know for sure one follower even joined the Facebook Fan Page because of me. (She sent me a Tweet telling me so!)

Twitter has made me a better assignment editor. Since I want to tweet to keep the conversations going, to keep me relevant to my followers, I'm listening more closely to the scanners than ever before!

Future of news/media & how Twitter is moving me there

I started this blog over a week ago and every time I sit down to write it, I can't seem to get out what I want to say. This block has left me feeling like there's nothing else I can blog about until I get this out. So please, if ramble and take tangents, remember it's my way of trying to connect the dots. I'd love your feedback and ideas.

I agree Lacey, it's been too long since I blogged.

Last week was a horrible week for journalism in Denver. The Rocky Mountain News closed. There were lay offs at two stations in Denver, including my station. Stories came out daily of more newspapers going under and more lay offs at other media outlets, including some smaller market networks combining newsrooms. Friends all around me kept asking, "Am I next?" They started asking, "What else can I do to be more valuable in the newsroom?"

At the same time I'm being asked by non-media friends if it's all part of the recession or if media is changing. The answer is both.

I think the recession is just forcing the future of the media faster than most were expecting it. It's unfortunate the lay off and closed doors finally made it clear that news is not what we were taught in college; and it doesn't seem that the college interns I've worked with are being taught any differently.

I'm not talking about keeping up with new technology like HD cameras. I'm talking about how is news going to received in the future? It's a question I have a few ideas on and would like your opinions.

Saturday Shawn and I chatted with our friend Christy about all that had happened in Denver media that week. She's always been honest with us, she, her husband and 11-yr old son, rarely watch the news. If the news is on at their house it's usually for the weather only. She gets her news online. She receives the Sunday Post for the ads only. Her husband gets his news on talk radio and some magazines. Her son gets news from his teacher, classmates and from what his parents tell him.

Television news is no longer where you sit down as a family after or during dinner. It may not even be what you watch as you wrap up your night. Newspapers aren't being read at the breakfast table.

In this conversation Shawn said he gets more news on his google front page than he does all day, and he works in a newsroom. His google page is filled with links to all the stations in Denver and his other favorite websites that range from movie critiques to roller coasters.

Our friend said she doesn't even have that because all the news she wants she gets from her friends, coworkers and neighborhood. Shawn then said he believes news will become so micro that it would be like he started a news website for a radius around our house and others would be doing the same and all would be linked together. His thought is that he could get advertising that way because all the businesses in his radius would want to advertise to the community it directly serves. (Think Chinese restaurants that will only deliver in a 10-mile radius.)

We continued to talk about how print has struggled to stay relevant since television, and that now it seems television has to stay relevant to printed word - online.

Everywhere I turn these days there's a conversation about social media. I wasn't familiar with this term until a few months ago when the station started a Twitter. Since then a Twitter team has been put together at the station. I wasn't asked to be a part of this team and just hearing about Twitter confused the daylight out of me. So, I started my own twitter, @msmistyj, to figure it out on my own.

A light literally went on & the world sang!

Yes, Twitter alone does that, but the overall slap in the face that I felt as I began to understand and see clear paths to the future was what really did it for me.

Twitter and other social media can be made in whatever mold you want. You use it to serve your purposes.

My purpose on Twitter is to share my assignment editing life. I tweet out what I hear on the scanners. I tweet what news crews are doing. I tweet about crazy calls I get. In return I have people following me and sharing with me. I have made friends. I have made contacts for news stories. I have people sharing breaking news with me only through Twitter. I have people sharing their story ideas with me.

By the end of the first week on Twitter I had my first story set up and aired that was found only through Twitter. http://tinyurl.com/bl732w

For me Twitter is a connection to the viewing population in the metro area. I follow almost everyone I can find that lives in Colorado, specifically Denver and the front range. If I don't follow someone back, it's usually because they don't live anywhere near Colorado.

I share some of my personal life to assure people that I am a real human and not just headlines and a mouthpiece only promoting the station. A tweet about my shrinking center cut bacon was made fun of by coworkers, but lead me to a great conversation with a man in Denver who asked me about doing a story on paying the same & more for less. I was able to Tweet a link to a story that CBS News did on just that phenomenon. Then I was able to discuss stories that CBS4 News is doing to help Beat the Recession.

So as I use Twitter I see how the future of news really can be in 140 characters, and yet, also be so much more as television, radio and newspaper moves as well.

I believe newsrooms in all media outlets will only continue to get smaller. It will be like our first jobs out of college where you did everything in all areas of the station. Shawn survived his lay off and hopes we both survive as the future of news changes and moves. He believes being as versatile as possible is one way to survive. (I posted a blog with an article on Shawn for you to read more of his insight.)

I agree with him. This tone was an undercurrent during a recent staff meeting at the station. We were encouraged to find other areas we're interested in that we can learn and contribute.

So I obviously don't have a magic 8 ball (though I want one desperately) but I do see the future of news/media is changing. It's changing faster than you think. Soon the only generations left will be digital and connected.

So please if you've made it thru this blog, please share your thoughts and what you may be doing now to stay versatile and relevant.